Menyo lights her way to success

Yamkelani Ncumoluhle Menyo, founder and CEO of Yam Light Candles, is striving to be a leading light in business.

The candle-making business she started in 2022 and officially registered in 2023 is rapidly growing, thanks to her creativity, vision, hard work and entrepreneurial zeal.

“I started having a vision of owning a business during my final year of studying for a diploma in management studies at Walter Sisulu University,” Menyo said.

“Working part-time for someone who ran an event decoration business inspired me. After events, I would collect excess candle wax and it appeared simple to make my own candles from it.”

Menyo was inspired and began experimenting with candle-making at home. As her talents improved, she began to add scent to her candles, elevating them to new heights. “I simply enjoy being creative and making crafts. Candle-making allows me to express myself creatively,” she said.

Yam Light Candles now sells a variety of products, including scented candles, diffusers, cannabis-infused candles and skin care items, all aimed to help customers “relax, rejuvenate and radiate positivity”.

Menyo, who hails from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape, runs her business from Mthatha, where she handles day-to-day operations.

Her business has a loyal customer base in Mthatha, where it mostly supplies Airbnbs, bed and breakfast establishments, hotels and lodges. Individual buyers, however, are the biggest source of the company’s revenue.

While Menyo manages the business on her own, she employs two part-time employees to help with large orders.

Yam Light Candles' success has not gone unnoticed. Menyo received a boost in December 2023 when the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (Sedfa) awarded her R172,000 in funding. Small business development minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams presented the Sedfa cheque at a machinery handover event for micro, small and medium enterprises in Mthatha, as part of the Asset Assist Cooperative Development Support Programme.

“This funding has been a game-changer. Last year, I received three tranches of government funding: R50,000 from the National Youth Development Agency, packing materials from Sedfa, and the Asset Assist programme. I’m so grateful because this support allows me to expand my business.”

As she continues to expand, Menyo remains focused on growing her business and creating more opportunities. “I’m excited for what’s ahead and the chance to grow this business to its full potential,” she said confidently.